You are here

WORD ON THE STREET

It’s that time of year again: pumpkins are quickly pushed aside for wreaths, candy canes replace scarecrows, and snow shovels overtake rakes. The weather has changed and so have our mindsets, along with some product lines. Winter is quickly ushered in by “The Holiday Season” and all the yuletide greetings that come along with it. But where is the line drawn and how far is too far? Should there be a separation of business and holiday? We think not.

Whether you’re a single dad working two jobs or a bachelorette CEO, you’re bound to notice a shift in your attitude from Halloween to New Year’s. But what exactly is that shift? It’s the yearly mix of stress and joy returning like clockwork. Stress caused by end-of-year financials or having enough money in the bank for gifts. Joy brought by glistening lights and cheerful songs. It’s the one time of year everyone seems to share a feeling. The one time a year, no matter how your customer list is divided, you have an opportunity to address and approach your customers with similar messaging. So don’t waste it, and don’t over think it.

There has been a lot of pressure placed on political correctness over the last decade, making sure to clearly wish an inclusive “Happy Holidays” rather than calling out one in particular. While we agree it is always a best practice to be inclusive, we also want to emphasize the point of holiday messaging is to spread/share in the positive energy of the season, express gratitude, and look forward to the possibilities of a new year. Keep that in mind when carefully crafting those messages.

Don’t go overboard with saying how thankful you are for your customers and that’s why you’re giving them 85% off everything on Black Friday. We, as an industry, are responsible for creating the sales spree that has become tied to this time of year. For that reason, we believe in keeping your season greetings separate from your “can’t miss these” deals.

It’s a fine line to cross in marketing, but genuine conversation and communication is always the best policy. So if you’re a private, family-owned company and you’ve decided it’s part of your brand to celebrate Hanukkah and share that with your customers, by all means, go ahead. If you’re a global corporation and know it’s better to keep it simple, feel free to avoid the word holiday altogether. Wishing happiness or joy is just as heartfelt. Maybe you’ve decided it’s just too risky to bring it up at all and have chosen it’s just another season. Whatever your company policy has deemed appropriate, own it. Don’t feel obligated to pick one saying over another.

At the end of the day, this time of year is one of reflection and hope for the future. For many reasons, we are thankful for this opportunity to show our appreciation to our clients and hope you do the same!

From all of us at SLS:

Get that turkey basted and get settled in for the big game! We’re thankful for the break to just be with friends and family, but we’re also thankful for the opportunity to work with each one of you. Happy Thanksgiving!

P.S. You’ve earned a day of overeating and indulgence, and so have we. We’ll be back in the office Monday!

Add new comment

Your name *

E-mail *

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.